


Win-Win

by Fablegate



Category: Finding Dory (2016)
Genre: Apologies, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-06
Updated: 2016-07-06
Packaged: 2018-07-21 21:41:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7405939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fablegate/pseuds/Fablegate
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An apology that was never spoken in the movie, so I thought I'd fix that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Win-Win

Maybe it was the first night that made him numb to it. But two days after that night, when Hank happened to still be awake, catching Dory sleep swimming past his alcove again did **not** faze Hank in the slightest. Not even the fact that he wasn’t going to try and get her to stay in her own home, because kelp knows she was just going to swim off again. It didn’t faze him as he settled in and the sleeping blue tang practically snuggled up against him. Once again, using his tentacles as both a cushion and blanket.

What did faze Hank was that **none** of this bothered him. Which it should have. He didn’t like company. He did not like touching, or being touched. He did not like chattering, which Dory did constantly when asleep. All the things a social fish, like Dory would enjoy, Hank could say he most certainly **did not**.

Now that he was thinking about it, there was another thing that bugging him. At the back of his brain was this nagging sense of guilt. Which was ridiculous because he had nothing to feel guilty about.

Unlike Dory, Hank had a pretty good memory-

Wait.

_“Your memory is not working! It’s probably how you lost your parents in the first place!”_

Ah. Right. He did say that didn’t he? Back at the institute, trying to find the Open Ocean exhibit, they got lost and Hank lost his temper with Dory. It wouldn’t surprise him if Dory didn’t remember the incident, but Hank could and he remembered how hurt and angry she got with him.

Looking back at it, Hank realized he had never really apologized for it.

Hank peered down at the sleeping blue tang. She was smiling as she was probably dreaming about the leaking piñata again. (Hank couldn’t help but wonder who Carlos was.)

He wasn’t going to wake her up now. It was late and he didn’t want to scare her when she realizes that she’s not in her own home. She practically screamed the morning before. It was almost comical, really.

No, he would wait until tomorrow morning. When her comical screaming would no doubt wake him up again.

……..

So, there was no screaming that morning. In fact, when Hank woke up Dory was chattering away with Marlin, who had come to pick her up. The clownfish didn’t look surprised, not even the slightest hint of previous panic as he met Hanks gaze. He gave the septopus a grateful nod, Hank returning it in understanding, before he and Dory swam back toward home.

It was only after they left did Hank remembered that he needed to apologize.

Not to mention he also had a class to teach in a few minutes.

Well so much for that plan.

…..

The next couple days were starting to irritate Hank. It wasn’t that anything really as happening. In fact it was what was not happening.

Every time he tried to get a moment alone to apologize properly to the blue tang something came up! Either Dory went off on her own agenda or Hank was stuck teaching class again.

The only time he could catch her alone was when Dory was sleep swimming. That seemed to become a regular thing actually. He’d wake up or would be about to go to sleep when he would hear that familiar sleep talking. (seriously who was Carlos?!)  And like every night, Hank would let the sleeping fish stay the night. He didn’t want to wake her up so he didn’t. The next morning Marlin would come and pick her up.

Hank never really had an opinion of the goldfish upon first meeting, but he’d come to appreciate how much Marlin cared for those closest to him. It was a good quality.

Anyway, another day came and went. Hank was relieved when he heard that Mr. Ray would be returning the next day. Which meant no more having to deal with the little shrimps anymore.

That night he planned to sleep in a bit extra, no more teaching meant more sleep for him.

Of course his plans to go to bed as soon as he got home were quite thwarted when Hank realized he was being followed.

He had made it all the way home when he finally heard small sounds of fin pushing through water.

It was Dory. Awake this time.

He gave her a questioning gaze. She looked confused all the sudden, opening her mouth to say something but closed it. Hank didn’t have to ask to know she had forgotten why she had followed him. It was probably something. Hank just hoped she would remember within the next ten minutes. 

“Well,” He said casually moving out of the way as to welcome her in. “come on in.”

Dory just smiled and accepted the invitation. If she remembered why she was there or not, she didn’t say.

“Wow!” Dory said as she looked around the alcove.  “This is such a pretty little home! I bet it’s nice when the moonlight shines through all the coral-“

“Hey, Dory?” Hank stopped her there otherwise she wouldn’t stop. “Not that I’m complaining but why are you-“

“Oh that’s right!” Dory perked up as she remembered. “Marlin had just been telling me-at least I think it was Marlin- that I had been sleep swimming again and somehow always end up here. And I thought, it’s a shame that you get woken up in the middle of the night and so here I am!” She looked at Hank as if it were the simplest thing. “If I’m just gonna end up here might as well be here without having to go through the trouble of waking you up again.”

Oh.

That was weirdly thoughtful.

And weirdly enough it made Hank blush a bit at the fact she had been thinking about him. But he quickly shook whatever feeling he had away when the weirdness of the situation caught up to him. It was one thing to keep her from wandering off in her sleep, it was a completely other thing to just let her sleep in his home!

He had said just that to her which only produced a confused look from the blue tang.

“Well then, how come you didn’t just wake me up all those other times? Would have been easier if you ask me.”

No it would not! If Hank had woken her up and sent her home she would have forgotten why she was out in the middle of the night.

The moment he thought that reminded him of something he had yet to do. And that thought immediately took the fight out of him.

“Alright.” He sighed, giving up. Hank wasn’t going to win this. And honestly he didn’t really want to.

So, without saying anything, Hank got himself situated in his little corner of the alcove. He watched as Dory made herself a little spot in sand beside him. He half expected her to grab one of his tentacles like she would when asleep. When she didn’t he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness. Which he shouldn’t have. He should have felt relieved. He didn’t like being touched.

Dory was already starting to fall asleep when Hank spoke up.

“Uh…Dory?”

She opened her eyes, looking confused as to where she was. But when she saw Hank, she remembered and smiled.

Hank met her gaze before sighing. “I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“Well…” Hank paused, recalling what he had planned to say to her. Now he was a little loss for words. Great, she wasn’t even doing anything this time and yet his plans were still foiled.

He sighed again. Whatever. He would improvise then.

“Back at the institute-I doubt you remember- but I said some things that probably shouldn’t have been said.”

“Oh.” Was all Dory said as she tried to remember.

“So, I just wanted to say that, well, I’m sorry for saying those things.” Hank found he couldn’t keep looking at her. So, after all that  was said, Hank looked down at his tentacles and shifted in his corner ready to sleep. He half expected her to simply forget the conversation, but at least it had been said.

“….That’s okay.” Dory said. Hank didn’t move or say anything at that. He didn’t even look at her until she had gotten up and was right beside him. “After all you were right.”

Hank’s eyes widened at that. “What-?”

“But you know what?” Dory met Hank’s gaze with a smile. “It’s alright because I found them.”

 

Hank was speechless as Dory reached down and took one of his tentacles in her fins and settled herself by his side.

“And another thing.” Dory yawned, still smiling. “I found you too. I’d call that a win-win.”

Hank watched silently as the blue tang so quickly began to fall into sleep. Without even thinking, he put another tentacle around her and pulled her just a bit closer.

“A win-win.” He chuckled.    

 

 


End file.
